Portable fence for chicken-closures.



No. 694,7el. Patented man 4, |902.

f e. c. LATHaoP.

PUBTABLE FENCE FOR CHICKEN GLGSUISES.l

(Application'led July 16, 1901.)

(No Nudel.)

NETE TATES .aTnNr rrrcn.

PORTABLE FENCE FOR CHICKEN=CLOSURES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 694,761, dated March 4, 1902.

i Application iiled July 16, 196i. Serial No. 68,475. CNO model.)

Chicken-Closures, ofY which'the following is al specification. v

The fence which forms the subject pf this patent is designed for closures for poultry and for removal from place to place. lts cheapness and convenience forerection and support arethe advantages due to the novel features of its construction and which the claims appended'hereto, in connection with the accompanying drawings, will specifically state wherein the novelty resides.

In these drawings, Figure l represents a panel, of a portablev fence and its mounting spring-sill-bracing supports. Fig. 2 is an end View of the same, wherein is illustrated the automatic gripping action of the spring-sillbracing supports upon the sides of the wooden base of the panel. Fig. 3 is a side view of the spring-sill, its bracing, and claw supports for the panel.

The fence is made ot separate panels, of which Fig. l is an illustration. The base of the panel is of boards l, closely joined and of a height to prevent outside chickens lighting with inside ones. These base-boards are nailed to end battens 2 the height of the panel, and a wire-netting 3 is secured so as to form a cover for the panel between its base-boards and a rail 4, which is secured to the tops of the battens. Intermediate long and short battens 5 and 6 connect the top rail and the top' edge of the base-boards on opposite sides of the panel t0 give strength toits frame and for properly fastening the wire covering thereto. I

There are two sill-supports for each panel, and resting on the ground at right angles to the panel each has a gripping function upon the opposite sides of the' board base.' A For this purpose each sill forms a spring-board 7, provided with a riser 8 on its under side at each end. Knee-braces 9, of strap orrodiron,

are secured to the upper sides of the sill, so that the vertical side l() of each brace will Stand at right'angles' mediately of the length of the sill, but separated a distance suited to receive the board base of the panel between them and bind upon and give it support. It is for this purpose thatrthe sill has the function of a spring-board, the spring of which is brought into action by the weight of the panel,

so as to sink the middle of each board, which for that purpose rests on the risers S, and thereby cause the knee-braces to approach each other in a way to cause their vertical branches 10 to bind hard against the opposite sides of the base-boards. supplementing this binding action of the knee-braces, they are also provided with claws ll at their upper ends, which are caused by the sinking of the springsill boards to pierce or be forced into the panel-boards, and thereby increase the tirinness of the connection of the sill and the panel and give abetter hold of the latter on the sill. In Fig. 2 the proper binding and claw action on both sides of the base is seen, and the grip of the claws is maintained by the weight of the panel.

I clainil. In a portable fence for poultry-closures, the combination of fence-panels each having a base-boarding and above it a wire covering, with a pair of spring-sill boards, each having a riser at each end, and a pair of knee-braces rising from the sill about the middle of its length each brace having a vertical binder for receiving and supporting the panel between them,whereby the sinking of the springsills under the weight of the panel will force the vertical binders toward each other against the opposite sides of the panel-base boards.

2. In a portable fence for poultry-closures, the combination of fence-panels each having a base-boarding and above it a wire covering, with a pair of spring-sill boards each having a pair of knee-braces forming vertical binders and end claws 'for receiving and supporting the panel between them, whereby the sinking of the sill will torce the brace-binders toward each other and the end claws into the panel-base.

In testimony whereof I ax my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE onnntns LATHnor.

Witnesses:

A. ROLAND JOHNSON, GUY H. JOHNSON. 

